“LILY HAS BEEN FOUND ALIVE” — THEN CAME THE DEVASTATING CORRECTION

For eight days, Lily Hooper’s family waited for the phone call they had been praying for.

The 18-year-old experienced bushwalker disappeared on August 12 after setting out alone in Nattai National Park, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.

Her car was found near the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail that same night, but Lily had vanished.

What followed was a huge search involving police, SES volunteers, rescue teams and almost 100 Australian Defence Force personnel, with around 200 people involved in the operation at its seventh-day peak.

Then, on Thursday morning, rescuers finally located a person in the dense bushland.

And for one brief moment, Lily’s family believed their nightmare was over.

THEY WERE TOLD SHE WAS ALIVE

At around 11:30 a.m., SES search volunteers initially reported that Lily had been found alive.

That information was passed through the emergency response chain and reached her family at the search command post.

It even reached NSW Premier Chris Minns, who told Parliament that Lily had been found alive.

But within approximately 10 minutes, rescuers provided a corrected report.

Lily was dead.

The family had gone from eight days of fear to a moment of overwhelming relief — only to have that hope taken away almost immediately.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon later apologized unreservedly to Lily’s family, while authorities said the communication failure would be reviewed.

THE SEARCH HAD BECOME MASSIVE

Lily was last known to have reached the Bonnum Pic area after leaving home on August 12.

Search crews battled dense bushland, steep ravines and difficult terrain, using helicopters, drones, dogs, horses, trail bikes and specialist rescue teams.

Her family remained hopeful throughout the operation.

They thanked the hundreds of people who kept searching and pleaded with members of the public not to enter the dangerous terrain themselves.

For eight days, the words remained simple:

Bring Lily home.

NOW THE QUESTIONS BEGIN

Police believe the body found is Lily’s, although formal identification and a coroner’s investigation are still pending.

Authorities have not indicated that foul play is suspected, and the cause of death has not yet been publicly established.

But one thing is already certain.

The search that began with hope has ended in heartbreak.

Lily was only 18.

She left home for a hike.

Her family waited eight days.

Hundreds of people searched through unforgiving terrain.

And when the call finally came saying she had been found, her family was given a few precious minutes of hope before learning the devastating truth.

The search is over.

But Lily’s family is only beginning to face a loss they never imagined.

The circumstances and cause of Lily Hooper’s death remain subject to investigation and a coroner’s report.